Proper vehicle maintenance might not be the most exciting or romantic part of owning a car, but it is important that you have it done and that it is done by someone you can trust. While you can simply type “auto alignment near me” into a search engine and hope that the first result is trustworthy, we recommend looking at your options and ensuring you choose the right service center. There is nothing better than the confidence of knowing that your car has been properly cared for, so you can focus on enjoying your vehicle without worrying about any problems.
Here at Romeoville Toyota, we are committed to providing the highest level of service to all of our customers; it often starts with helping you find the right vehicle, but we believe in a long-term approach that includes maintenance for years to come. The alignment of your vehicle’s suspension is important in ensuring your tires do not wear down too quickly and in getting the smoothest ride from your car. We are fully equipped to handle alignment adjustments, oil changes, repairs after a collision, and much more. Come visit us at Romeoville Toyota today to learn more and discover the peace of mind you get when you know your car is in good hands.
When you are trying to find the right place to handle the alignment of your vehicle, it is a good idea to make sure you first understand exactly what you are looking for and dealing with. Although the terms “tire alignment” and “wheel alignment” (both are used) suggest that it involves the wheels or tires directly and that they need to be adjusted, that is actually not the case. When you get the alignment of your vehicle adjusted or checked, what is really being looked at is your car’s suspension, which your wheels are attached to.
The simple version of understanding your tire alignment is that it refers to any potential angle of your wheels, which in turn impacts how your tires (which are wrapped around the wheels) make contact with the road. When your alignment is properly set, your tires will ride on the road correctly, wearing evenly and giving you ideal control over your vehicle. If the alignment gets thrown off, then your wheels are angled incorrectly, which results in your tires making less-than-ideal contact with the road.
There are three types of angles that our service experts will look at when checking and potentially adjusting your vehicle’s alignment:
All three of these angles need to be properly aligned for your vehicle to ride correctly. Minor issues with alignment can happen pretty easily, and you might not notice them at first. In general, however, your alignment problems will only become worse over time, and the impact on your vehicle can be potentially costly.
For starters, if the alignment of your suspension and wheels is off, it means your tires will wear unevenly while you drive. This can result in needing to replace your tires more often than you would have to otherwise, which is an expensive result of not having your alignment fixed. You will also have to work against your vehicle to simply drive down the road, which generally makes driving your car less enjoyable. This can also impact the performance of your car and reduce your fuel economy, so you end up spending more on gas.
One of the simplest ways to check if your alignment might be off is to look at the condition of your tires. If you notice the tread is smooth on one side and sharp on another – this is called feathering – or that one part of the tire is substantially more worn than another, this can indicate your alignment is off. You can also check by finding a straight stretch of road and safely taking your hands just off your steering wheel. If your alignment is off, then your car will veer to the left or right – otherwise, it should travel generally straight. Similarly, if you notice that you have to hold your steering wheel slightly to the left or right of center in order to drive straight, then you should have your alignment checked.
Here at Romeoville Toyota, we are fully equipped to help you with any alignment issues you might have – we can inspect your suspension and make adjustments needed to get you back on the road quickly. We are also prepared to help you with a wide range of other issues; you can easily get your oil changed, have your wheel alignment checked, and have your tires rotated all in one visit. If you have more serious issues after a collision, need a new battery, or have concerns about your brakes, then we can assist you with that, and more, as well.
Although we are a Toyota dealership, we are ready to assist you no matter what vehicle you have. Our certified technicians have plenty of experience with virtually every make and model on the road, and we are equipped to work on a wide range of vehicles and help you with everything you need. Whether you are looking to take advantage of the industry-leading ToyotaCare service or simply need routine maintenance for an older vehicle, we can help.